Op-eds

By putting people over profit, credit unions help lower financial stress levels

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Olga and her family open their first account at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, one of the credit unions mentioned in the op-ed. [photo courtesy SchoolsFirst FCU]
Community-building credit unions can be a solution to financial stress and its effects on people’s overall well-being, according to an op-ed published last week in Forbes. Shane Enete, a Biola University professor who specializes in financial well-being research, says credit unions can help people feel connected and less alone on their financial journeys in Forbes.

Enete shared Community Financial Credit Unions, Vantage West Credit Union, and SchoolsFirst Credit Union as examples of how credit unions work to tailor services to the community they serve.

“In all of these cases, credit unions not only help individuals, families and communities recover from challenging situations and rebuild, but they also help alleviate the financial stress that so often exacerbates feelings of loneliness and isolation,” he wrote. “By meeting people where they are, with empathy and personalized support, [credit unions] offer more than financial relief; they offer belonging, dignity and a sense that you’re not alone.”

That message—the power of the credit union difference to transform people’s lives for the better—is central to the Don’t Tax My Credit Union campaign, which is focused on telling Congress any change to the credit union tax status would reduce the ability of credit unions to change lives.

Data from America’s Credit Unions shows that when compared to banks, credit unions of all sizes make the majority of their loans to households, showing credit unions’ unique focus on Main Street.

Read the full article   Learn more about the Don’t Tax My Credit Union campaign

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